Permutation-lock



(No Model.)

J.A.SALVA.

PERMUTATION LOOK.

No. 592,939. Patented Nov. 2,1897.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES; z m 4 M g 4 1% LI l By his 41107126315,

'r NORRIS Pnzns c0, www.m'umwnsuwayon n c lJNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ANTHONY SALVA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PERMUTATlON-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,939, dated November 2, 1897.

Application filed November 15, 1895. Serial No. 569,045. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ANTHONY SALvA, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Locks and other Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locks and other devices, and is particularly applicable to permutation-locks.

Heretofore permutation-locks have been constructed with a plurality of disks having gear-teeth and bolt-notches capable of being alined and then permitting retraction of the bolt, the disks being mounted on a common axis, rotative to bring their notches into or out of coincidence, driven by a pinion, and capable of being relatively adjusted by blocking one of their teeth to change the combination at which the bolt could'be retracted. The bolt-notch in each disk has. been in the plane of its teeth and the tail of the bolt to enter this notch has crossed the rotative path of the teeth. A snap-pawl holds and announces the movement of the disks.

My invention aims to provide improvements by which this principle of operation can be successfully and practicably availed of.

To this end in carrying out the preferred form of my invention as embodied in a permutation-lock I provide certain features of improvement, which will be fully hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section onthe linel 1 of Fig. 2, ofa simple form of permutation-lock embodying the preferred form of my invention,'the bolt being shown in thefretracted position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1, the bolt being shown projected and the parts in the locked position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the two disks in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. lis a side elevation of the handle or key. Fig. 5 is an inner face View, and Fig. 6' an edge View, of the stop, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view like Fig. 2, but showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, let A represent the case of a lock; 13, the side plates thereof; O, the bolt 3 l), the handle or other means for for.

moving it a, the head end of the bolt; 1), its

tail end; E, the permutable member F, the operating means; G, the handle; M, the stop for the member E, and P the indicator theregeneral may be of any These parts in suitable construction.

The casing A shown comprises a rectangular frame 0, having corner-lugs e and a transverse brace f, the bolt being held in holes 9 through the end of the casing and the brace. The side plates B are held in position by screws h, engaging the lugs e, and inclose the lock mechanism. The bolt 0 shown is a simple sliding metal bar, its head end and tail endbeingformed in one piece. The knob D projects laterally from the bolt through a slot 1' in one side plate and enables shooting of the bolt by hand, the bolt shown being a passive bolt. ,This knob takes the place of a key,

spring, or any other bolt-throwing provision.

The'permutation device is in the path of the tail of the bolt and prevents retraction except when in one position, towardvand from which it can be moved at will. It consists of one or more toothed rotary disks H, having each a bolt-notch k into which the tail 1) can pass. The operating means F may be any toothed pinion movable axially into and out of engagement with the member E or any other suitable provision for moving the part or parts of the permutable member to bring its releasing portions into'or out of coincidence with the tail of the bolt. The stop M may be of any construction providing a stop for each'movable part of the permutable member adjustable in its relation to the releas ing-notch of the part to Which it is applied, and the indicator P may be any means indi- I construct the disks H with driving and locking provisions in different planes or parts, so

roe

that each can serve its function independent] y of the other. This is best done as shown in the drawings, wherein the peripheral gearteeth I. are at one side of and out of the path of the tail of the bolt, and special bolt portions .I are provided at the other side of each disk, which bolt portions on two disks are placed adjacent to each other and in the path of the tail of the bolt and comprise substantially cylindrical locking-faces j, extending throughout the larger portion of the circumference of the part, and releasing-notches of sufficient width and depth to receive the tail of the bolt and to permit its movement toward the center of the parts to the extent necessary to provide for the retracting of the bolt. When the bolt is shot, the facesj rest close to or against its tail. When it is retracted, its tail rests within the notches 7; and locks the parts against movement. The end of the bolt is preferably square, and the walls of the notches are rectangular by preference. The facesj are flush with or inwardly of the bottoms of the teeth of the gears I.

The disks II are shown as loosely and rotatively mounted on a shaft or axle Z, which has hearings in the side plates B. The disks are driven by the means F, which preferably consist of apinion-gear K,having teeth adapted to mesh with the gears I, a spindle L, fixed to the pinion K, rotatively and axially movable in bearings m in the plates B, and means for shifting and driving the spindle and pinion, as the handle or key G. The latter is shown as a key having a square end at, fitting a square socket 0 in the end of the spindle and having a snap-catch p, engaging a notch q for locking the spindle and key together for axial movement. The spindle is moved into engagement with the gear of one disk until the latter is driven to the desired position, whereupon it is withdrawn therefrom and moved into engagement with the other disk to shift the latter. Normally it maybe left in engagement with either or intermediate of both, as shown. IVhen disengaged from both, it can be freely turned without manipulating either.

The stop shown at M is that preferably employed, and consists in its preferred form of a block or piece 1', fitting the interdental spaces of the gears I, and a web or part 8 by which the block is held in place. The web preferably has a hole 2', which is passed over the shaft Z to prevent radial movement of the stop, and is held against lateral movement by being placed between the side ofits disk and the adjacent wall of the plate B. In this construction it is simply necessary to remove the adjacent plate 13 to change the adjustment of the stop, which is done by removing it from the disk until its head or block 0' is free from the teeth, then rotating it to the desired position, and then pushing it toward the disk until the block is seated in the correspond ing space.

Any other construction of stop having any suitable location and any means for adjusting it may, if desired, be substituted for that shown.

The preferred form of indicator for the operation of the permutable member is one which gives an audible announcement of each step of the movement of each disk, as well as an indication noticeable to the sense of touch or feeling of the person operating the lock. The means shown for this end comprise, as usual, a leaf-spring N, fastened at one end to one of the walls'c of the casing and having a snapper P at its other end passing into the notches between the teeth with sufficient rapidity to make an audible click as it snaps into each notch and resisting movement from one notch to the next with suilicient force to be noticeable in its resistance to the turning of the handle G. Any other suitable means may be used instead of this particular construction The indicator, as usual, also comprises means for throwing the disks into the true position relatively to the bolt, so that when the releasing-notch is in the unlocking position it will exactly coincide with the end of the bolt. A simple way of accomplishing this is that shown, which consists in providing beveled faces 15 on the head of the spring N, which faces wedge between the teeth until the lat ter are turned to a position of equilibrium relatively to these faces.

For convenience the notches between the teeth are numbered, so that the distance or number of teeth between the active position of the releasing-notch and the active position of the stop can be readily seen when adjusting the latter.

In operation any number of. disks may be used. If the lock has two, as shown, the one disk will be set to one number and the other preferably to another number. To set the disks, they will be put in the releasing posi tion, and then the stop on one will be adjusted from the notch numbered l to the desired point, that shown in Fig. 1 being set at notch 6. The stop on the other being properly set, the side plates will be restored and the lock ready for use. To bring the parts to the locked position, the bolt will be shot and the pinion K geared with first one and then the other disk to turn them until their lockingfaces 7' are opposed to the tail of the bolt. To unlock, the gear will be meshed with one disk and will be turned until motion is arrested by the stop. Then the operator will reverse the rotation of the pinion and count the indications as each tooth is turned until the proper number of teeth from the stop has been reached to bring the releasing-notch of the corresponding disk in line with the bolt. The pinion will thereupon be freed from this disk and moved to the next, which it will in like manner bring to the releasing position, whereupon the bolt can be retracted.

It will be seen that my invention provides an improved device for permutation-locks and other mechanisms which can be readily and advantageously availed of, and it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the particular use nor to the particular details of construction and arrangement hereinbefore set forth as constituting its preferred form, but that it can be availed of according to such modifications and for such purposes as circumstances or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dictate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In its preferred form my invention also comprises means for throwing the bolt by the means operating the permutable member.

A simple construction for this consists of a connection Q, connected at one end to the bolt and at its other end adapted to be engaged by and disengaged from the operating means. The connection Q shown consists of a bar at, sliding in a groove '1; in the brace f,

connected at one end w to the bolt 0 by a screw-bolt 0c and having at its other end a rack y, the teeth of which are in the path of and mesh with the teeth of the pinion K when the latter is in mid-position and are free therefromwhen the pinion is in engagement with either of the disks. Thus the pinion, through the member Q, can throw the bolt when the pinion is inactive relatively to the disks, and by shifting the pinion it will be inactive as to the bolt and active as to one or other of the disks.

If desired, the knob D may be employed in lieu of the pinion for shifting the bolt.

While the operating means shown in Figs.

1 and 2 are preferred in some instances for their simplicity, it will be understood that any suitable means capable of giving the desired successive operations to the several parts of the lock may be used instead. When the lock is to be used as amortise-lock, for which use it is desirable that there be no projecting parts outside of the casing, the operating means will be accordingly constructed en-,

tirely within the casing. The preferred form for this construction is that shown in Fig. 7, wherein the operating means F comprise a series of pinions K K K one for each gear or rack to be operated, each immovable axially, independently rotative, and all mounted rotatively on a single shaft L, seated in bearings min the casing. The pinion K meshes with the gear and one disk, the pinion K with that of the other disk, and the intermediate pinion K with the rack of the bolting toes p, which shank is passed into the hollowinterior until the toes p snap through the slots q, traversing the wall of the shaft, and into notches r in the hubs of the pinions. These notches are diametrically opposite, and the toes, when snapped through the slots and into the notches of any pinion, lock the latter and the shaft and key rotatively together, so that by turning the key the corresponding pinion can be driven in either direction, the other pinions meantime remaining stationary. When the desired movement of one pinion has been accomplished, the key will be engaged with another, and so on. Tofacilitate engage: ment. and disengagement of the key with the pinions, the front and rear faces of its toes are beveled or inclined, and the corresponding faces of the slots and notches are likewise beveled and inclined, so that by applying a longitudinal pressure to the key it can be drawn out of the position of engagement with any of the pinions when desired. With this construction the key will be used forthe-pinion meshing with one disk, and then for that meshing with another disk, until the disks are properly set, and then the key will be engaged withzthe middle pinion,meshing with the bolt-rack, and this pinion will be rotated to withdraw the bolt. To shoot the bolt, the middle pinion will be first operated, and then to lock the bolt shot the other pinions will be successively operated,whereupon the key can be detached until required for further use.

What I claim is, in permutation-locks and other devices,the following-defined novel features and combinations, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, namely:

1. A movable bolt, having a tail movable in a predetermined path, in combination with a movable member consisting of two separately-movable parts, each having on one side of its edge gear-teeth, and on the other side reduced bolt-faces, said parts placed side by side with their bolt-faces adjacent, behind and in the path of movement of the tail of the bolt, and controlling movement of said bolt, and with their toothed portions at their remote sides and out of the path of movement of the tail of the bolt, and a rotative and axially-movable pinion of less width than the space between the toothed portions of said parts, gearing with the teeth of said parts alternately when shifted from the teeth of one to those of the other, and disengaged from both said parts when moved axially to an intermediate position between the teeth thereof.

2. In locks and the like, a bolt, a permutation member having peripheral gear-teeth, and a pinion engaging the teeth of and operating the latter at onetime and passive relatively thereto at another time, in combina tion with a rack gearing with said pinion when it is passive relatively to said member, and then moved by said pinion, and a connection between said rack and the bolt, moving the latter when said rack is moved by said pinion.

3. In locks and the like, a bolt C, and disks H having separated gear-teeth, in combination with operating-gear, meshing with the teeth of said disks for moving the latter, aetive relatively to one at one time and to the other at another time, and passive relatively to both at another time, and a rack connected 10 to said bolt for moving it, engaged and operated by said operating-gear when the latter is passive relatively to both said disks.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ANTHONY sA'LVA.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE II. FRASER, ERNEST SHERNIKOW. 

